Technical Abstract:
This chapter discusses the issues surrounding pesticide residue analysis of foods. In addition to the analytical aspects, the topics in the article include an historical perspective, and discusses risks related to pesticide residues in food. Monitoring results of pesticide residues in raw commodities along with the needs for pesticide residue analysis are also presented. Factors pertaining to chemical properties of pesticides and food matrices are discussed in relation to the analytical process to achieve desirable traits of an analytical method. The chapter also discusses field-based analysis in the form of immunochemical assays and a mobile mini-lab approach. Extraction and cleanup procedures are reviewed in terms of sample comminution and subsampling, choice of extraction solvent, means of extraction, alternative techniques, and solid-phase extraction. For analysis, modern approaches are described, including gas and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, analyte protectants, large volume injection, direct sample introduction, fast methods, and detection using a variety of techniques.